Top doctor's contract expires as measles concerns grow in Alberta

Jennifer Lee · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 15, 2025 6:27 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Dr. Mark Joffe is nary longer Alberta's main aesculapian serviceman of health, leaving the state without a apical doc as it battles increasing measles outbreaks.

The Alberta authorities confirmed connected Tuesday day that Joffe's contract ended connected April 14 and that the hunt for a imperishable replacement has begun.

"Since November 2022, Dr. Mark Joffe has served Albertans arsenic the interim main aesculapian serviceman of wellness with dedication and professionalism, providing nationalist wellness expertise during a clip of important challenges and transitions," a connection from the wellness minister's bureau said.

The authorities said it expects to denote a new interim CMOH "imminently," and successful the meantime it volition trust connected the proposal of nationalist wellness experts and section portion aesculapian officers of health.

Joffe's departure comes arsenic concerns astir surging measles cases grow, with outbreaks documented successful each 5 wellness zones.

"Alberta's authorities remains vigilant successful its attack to measles, ensuring accusation and resources are disposable for each Albertans to recognize however to champion support themselves," the wellness minister's bureau said.

"We privation to reassure Albertans that nationalist wellness continues to beryllium a apical precedence during this transition. Alberta's authorities volition proceed to enactment intimately with wellness partners to guarantee continuity successful nationalist wellness enactment and responses."

• Alberta's apical doc should beryllium fixed greenish airy to talk publically connected measles, wellness experts say
• Alberta's apical doc urges vaccination arsenic measles cases surge

The authorities has been criticized by immoderate wellness experts who accidental its messaging astir measles has not been beardown enough, and it was facing expanding calls for Joffe to look publically and code the situation.

Joffe had been mostly absent from the nationalist oculus since the outbreaks began. 

While helium issued written statements connected 2 occasions — including past week erstwhile helium warned of the dangers of measles and urged Albertans to guarantee they and their kids are afloat immunized — helium had not appeared publically nor had helium conducted immoderate media interviews connected the topic.

CBC News was told connected aggregate occasions that Joffe was unavailable for interviews connected the measles outbreaks.

In effect to questions astir wherefore Joffe hadn't appeared publicly, a spokesperson for Alberta Health said, connected April 4, that their effect was "appropriate to the existent circumstances."

"Should the concern escalate, and a provincewide outbreak is declared, we expect Dr. Joffe speaking much broadly to Albertans," the spokesperson said.

Upon being pressed further connected the substance past week, Health Minister Adriana LaGrange told reporters helium was moving down the scenes with wellness officials successful impacted communities to rein successful the outbreaks.

"When Dr. Joffe feels that's important for him to do, helium volition perfectly spell retired and bash it," she said astatine the time.

However, erstwhile asked whether Joffe would beryllium allowed to talk publically if helium wanted to, she did not answer.

On Monday, Alberta reported 16 much measles cases, and connected Tuesday, different 3 cases were confirmed, bringing the total, since the outbreaks began, to 77.

Joffe was appointed to the CMOH relation successful November 2022 aft Dr. Deena Hinshaw's abrupt departure.